Employees at HackerOne utilize the Working Genius model, which provides individuals and teams with a straightforward, practical, and effective framework for leveraging each other’s natural talents. This approach enhances productivity and minimizes unnecessary criticism.
Developed by Patrick Lencioni, this model identifies six types of genius that people exhibit in their professional lives: Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity.
The Six Types of Working Genius
- Wonder: Those with this genius are naturally curious and seek to understand problems and opportunities deeply.
- Invention: This genius involves creative thinking, enabling the development of innovative solutions and ideas.
- Discernment: Individuals with this genius can evaluate ideas and proposals objectively.
- Galvanizing: Those with this genius are natural motivators, capable of rallying the team around a common goal.
- Enablement: These team members excel at providing support and encouragement to others to help them succeed.
- Tenacity: The natural gift of pushing projects or tasks to completion to achieve results.
How HackerOne Introduced the Working Genius
We began implementing the Working Genius tool with the executive team, allowing them to explore their leadership styles and understand how these styles complement one another. After this initial phase, we expanded the tool’s use to each department, helping individuals recognize their strengths and enhancing collaboration.
We use the Working Genius model as a common language, enabling all employees to understand and appreciate each other’s unique strengths and working styles, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support.
The Working Genius tool has become a crucial component of our leadership development program. It provides leaders with insights into their own working styles and guidance on how to leverage their teams’ strengths effectively.
Today, every new employee completes a Working Genius assessment in the first 30 days of employment.
Working Genius in Real Life
The Working Genius model is a powerful tool that HackerOne uses to enhance collaboration and productivity. By identifying and leveraging team members’ unique strengths, we can create a more dynamic, innovative, and engaged workforce.
How Managers Use Working Genius
Whether they’re brand-new or seasoned leaders, managers use Working Genius to get to know their teams. It helps them figure out who thrives where, making it way easier to delegate, build trust, and play to everyone’s strengths.
Personal Growth
The Working Genius model is essential for personal career growth. It helps identify natural strengths, allowing employees to focus on energizing tasks while reducing frustration. This model serves as a roadmap for career choices, effective communication, and collaboration. By aligning work with the Genius—whether you are a creative visionary or a results-driven executor—employees can achieve greater satisfaction, productivity, and success, while also identifying areas for growth.
Building Stronger Projects
Matching people to projects isn’t a guessing game anymore. With Working Genius, we align assignments with people’s natural talents. Big ideas go to the visionaries, detailed work goes to the doers—it’s all about putting the right people in the right roles to get the best results.
Organizing Better Meetings
The Talent Strategy Partners use the Working Genius model to structure meetings by leveraging each phase of work: Wonder and Invention for brainstorming, Discernment for evaluating ideas, and Galvanizing to energize the team and drive action. Enablement and Tenacity ensure follow-through by supporting the next steps and pushing tasks to completion. This framework helps us make meetings more purposeful and productive.
HackerOne utilizes the Working Genius model to recognize and leverage individual strengths within teams. By identifying six types of genius—Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity—HackerOne empowers employees to thrive and contribute from day one, driving innovation and engagement throughout the company.